Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 05 - The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

Transcript

05 - The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan · Philosophy and Faith

0:00
Speaker 1: Part one, the third stage. Now, I saw in my
0:06
Speaker 1: dream that the highway of which Christian was to go
0:10
Speaker 1: was fenced on either side with a wall, and that
0:13
Speaker 1: wall was called Salvation Isaiah twenty six one. Up this
0:18
Speaker 1: way therefore did burden Christian run, but not without great
0:22
Speaker 1: difficulty because of the load on his back. He ran
0:27
Speaker 1: thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending, And
0:30
Speaker 1: upon that place stood across and a little below, in
0:34
Speaker 1: the bottom a sepulcher. So I saw in my dream
0:38
Speaker 1: that just as Christian came up with the cross, his
0:41
Speaker 1: burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off
0:44
Speaker 1: his back, and began to tumble. And so continued to
0:48
Speaker 1: do till it came to the mouth of the sepulcher,
0:51
Speaker 1: where it fell in, and I saw it no more.
0:56
Speaker 1: Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said, with a
1:00
Speaker 1: merry heart, he hath given me rest by his sorrow
1:03
Speaker 1: and life by his death. Then he stood still, awhile
1:07
Speaker 1: to look and wonder, for it was very surprising to
1:11
Speaker 1: him that the sight of the cross should thus ease
1:14
Speaker 1: him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again
1:18
Speaker 1: even till the springs that were in his head, sent
1:20
Speaker 1: the waters down his cheeks Zechariah twelve ten. Now as
1:26
Speaker 1: he stood looking and weeping, behold, three shining ones came
1:30
Speaker 1: to him and saluted him with peace be to thee.
1:36
Speaker 1: So the first said to him, thy sins be forgiven
1:40
Speaker 1: thee Mark two five. The second stripped him of his
1:45
Speaker 1: rags and clothed him with change of raiment Zechariah three four.
1:51
Speaker 1: The third also set a mark on his forehead Ephesians
1:54
Speaker 1: one thirteen, and gave him a roll with a seal
1:58
Speaker 1: upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran,
2:01
Speaker 1: and that he should give it in at the celestial gate.
2:05
Speaker 1: So they went their way. Then Christian gave three leaps
2:09
Speaker 1: for joy, and went on singing, Thus far did I
2:16
Speaker 1: come laden with my sin, Nor could aught ease the
2:19
Speaker 1: grief that I was in till I came hither. What
2:23
Speaker 1: a place as this must here be the beginning of
2:26
Speaker 1: my bliss. Must hear the burden fall from off my back?
2:31
Speaker 1: Must hear the strings that bound it to me? Crack, blessed, cross, blessed, Sepulcha, blessed.
2:38
Speaker 1: Rather be the man that there was put to shame
2:40
Speaker 1: for me? Then I saw in my dream that. He
2:44
Speaker 1: went on thus even until he came at the bottom,
2:48
Speaker 1: where he saw a little out of the way three
2:50
Speaker 1: men fast asleep, with fetters upon their heels. The name
2:55
Speaker 1: of the one was Simple, of another, Sloth, and of
2:59
Speaker 1: the third presumption. Christian, then, seeing them lie in this case,
3:06
Speaker 1: went to them, if peradventure, he might awake them, and cried,
3:11
Speaker 1: you are like them that sleep on the top of
3:13
Speaker 1: a mast Proverbs twenty three thirty four. For the dead
3:17
Speaker 1: sea is under you a gulf that hath no bottom.
3:21
Speaker 1: Awake therefore, and come away, be willing also, and I
3:25
Speaker 1: will help you off with your irons. He also told them,
3:31
Speaker 1: if he that goeth about like a roaring lion verse
3:34
Speaker 1: Peter five eight comes by, you will certainly become a
3:38
Speaker 1: prey to his teeth. With that, they looked upon him
3:43
Speaker 1: and began to reply in this sort, Simple said, I
3:48
Speaker 1: see no danger. Sloth said, yet a little more sleep,
3:53
Speaker 1: and presumption said every tub must stand upon its own bottom.
3:59
Speaker 1: And so they lay down to sleep again, and Christian
4:02
Speaker 1: went on his way. Yet he was troubled to think
4:06
Speaker 1: that men in that danger should so little esteem the
4:09
Speaker 1: kindness of him that so freely offered to help them.
4:13
Speaker 1: Both by awakening of them, counseling of them, and proffering
4:17
Speaker 1: to help them off with their irons. And as he
4:20
Speaker 1: was troubled thereabout here spired two men come tumbling over
4:23
Speaker 1: the wall on the left hand of the narrow way,
4:26
Speaker 1: and they made up a pace to him. The name
4:30
Speaker 1: of the one was formalist, and the name of the
4:32
Speaker 1: other hypocrisy. So as I said, they drew up unto him,
4:37
Speaker 1: who thus entered with them into discourse. Christian gentlemen, whence
4:43
Speaker 1: came you and whither do you go? Formalist and hypocrisy?
4:49
Speaker 1: We were born in the land of vain glory, and
4:51
Speaker 1: are going for praise to Mount Zion? Christian? Why came
4:57
Speaker 1: you not in at the gate which standeth at the
4:59
Speaker 1: beginning of the way, Know ye not that it is
5:01
Speaker 1: written that he that cometh not in by the door,
5:05
Speaker 1: but climbeth up some other way, the same as a
5:08
Speaker 1: thief and a robber, John ten one. Formalist and Hypocrisy.
5:15
Speaker 1: They said that to go to the gate for entrance
5:18
Speaker 1: was by all their countrymen counted too far about, and
5:22
Speaker 1: that therefore their usual way was to make a short
5:24
Speaker 1: cut of it, and to climb over the wall, as
5:27
Speaker 1: they had done Christian, But will it not be counted
5:32
Speaker 1: a trespass against the Lord of the city, whither we
5:34
Speaker 1: are bound thus to violate his revealed will? Formalist and hypocrisy.
5:41
Speaker 1: They told him that as for that, he needed not
5:44
Speaker 1: to trouble his head thereabout. For what they did they
5:47
Speaker 1: had customed for and could produce, if need were testimony
5:51
Speaker 1: that would witness it for more than a thousand years. Christian,
5:56
Speaker 1: But said Christian, will you stand a trial at law?
6:01
Speaker 1: Formalist and hypocrisy? They told him that custom it, being
6:06
Speaker 1: of so long standing as above a thousand years, would
6:09
Speaker 1: doubtless now be admitted as a thing legal by an
6:12
Speaker 1: impartial judge. And besides, said they, if we get into
6:16
Speaker 1: the way, what matter is it which way we get in?
6:20
Speaker 1: If we are in, we are in thou art, but
6:22
Speaker 1: in the way who, as we perceive, came in at
6:25
Speaker 1: the gate, And we also are in the way that
6:28
Speaker 1: came tumbling over the wall. Wherein now is thy condition
6:32
Speaker 1: better than ours? Christian, I walk by the rule of
6:37
Speaker 1: my Master. You walk by the rude working of your fancies.
6:42
Speaker 1: You are counted thieves already by the Lord of the way.
6:46
Speaker 1: Therefore I doubt you will not be found true men,
6:48
Speaker 1: at the end of the way, you come in by
6:51
Speaker 1: yourselves without his direction, and shall go out by yourselves
6:55
Speaker 1: without his mercy. To this they made him little answer.
7:01
Speaker 1: Only they bid him look to himself. Then I saw
7:05
Speaker 1: that they went on every man in his way without
7:08
Speaker 1: much confidence, one with another, save that these two men
7:12
Speaker 1: told Christian that as to laws and ordinances they doubted not,
7:16
Speaker 1: but that they should as conscientiously do them. As he
7:21
Speaker 1: therefore said, they we see not wherein thou differest from us,
7:25
Speaker 1: but by the coat that is on thy back, which was,
7:27
Speaker 1: as we trow, given thee by some of thy neighbors
7:30
Speaker 1: to hide the shame of thy nakedness. Christian, by laws
7:36
Speaker 1: and ordinances, you will not be saved, since you came
7:40
Speaker 1: not in by the door Galatians to sixteen. And as
7:45
Speaker 1: for this coat that is on my back, it was
7:48
Speaker 1: given me by the Lord of the place whither I go,
7:51
Speaker 1: and that, as you say, to cover my nakedness with.
7:55
Speaker 1: And I take it as a token of kindness to me,
7:59
Speaker 1: for I had nothing but rags before. And besides, thus
8:03
Speaker 1: I comfort myself as I go. Surely think I when
8:07
Speaker 1: I come to the gate of the city, the Lord
8:10
Speaker 1: thereof will know me for good, since I have his
8:13
Speaker 1: coat on my back, a coat that he gave me
8:16
Speaker 1: freely in the day that he stripped me of my rags.
8:20
Speaker 1: I have moreover a mark in my forehead, of which
8:24
Speaker 1: perhaps you have taken no notice, which one of my
8:27
Speaker 1: Lord's most intimate associates fixed there in the day that
8:30
Speaker 1: my burden fell off my shoulders. I will tell you
8:34
Speaker 1: moreover that I had then given me a roll sealed
8:38
Speaker 1: to comfort me by reading as I go on the way.
8:41
Speaker 1: I was also bid to give it in at the
8:44
Speaker 1: celestial gate in token of my certain going in after it.
8:48
Speaker 1: All which things I doubt you want, and want them,
8:51
Speaker 1: because you came not in at the gate. To these things,
8:56
Speaker 1: they gave him no answer. Only they looked upon each
8:59
Speaker 1: other and laughed. Then I saw that they went all
9:03
Speaker 1: on save that Christian kept before, who had no more
9:07
Speaker 1: talk but with himself, And that, sometimes sighingly and sometimes
9:11
Speaker 1: comfortably also he would be often reading in the role
9:15
Speaker 1: that one of the shining ones gave him, by which
9:18
Speaker 1: he was refreshed. I beheld then that they all went
9:23
Speaker 1: on till they came to the foot of the hill difficulty,
9:26
Speaker 1: at the bottom of which there was a spring. They
9:30
Speaker 1: were also in the same place. Two other ways besides
9:32
Speaker 1: that which came straight from the gate. One turned to
9:36
Speaker 1: the left hand and the other to the right at
9:39
Speaker 1: the bottom of the hill. But the narrow way lay
9:42
Speaker 1: right up the hill. And the name of the going
9:45
Speaker 1: up the side of the hill is called difficulty. Christian
9:50
Speaker 1: now went to the spring Isaiah forty nine ten, and
9:54
Speaker 1: drank thereof to refresh himself, and then began to go
9:58
Speaker 1: up the hill, saying, the hill, though high, I covet
10:02
Speaker 1: to ascend, the difficulty, will not me offend, for I
10:06
Speaker 1: perceived the way to life lies here. Come. Pluck up heart.
10:10
Speaker 1: Let's neither faint nor fear better, though difficult, the right
10:14
Speaker 1: way to go than wrong, though easy, where the end
10:18
Speaker 1: is woe. The other two also came to the foot
10:22
Speaker 1: of the hill. But when they saw that the hill
10:25
Speaker 1: was steep and high, and that there were two other
10:28
Speaker 1: ways to go, and supposing also that these two ways
10:32
Speaker 1: might meet again with that up which Christian went on
10:35
Speaker 1: the other side of the hill, therefore they were resolved
10:39
Speaker 1: to go in those ways. Now the name of one
10:42
Speaker 1: of those ways was danger, and the name of the
10:45
Speaker 1: other destruction. So the one took the way which is
10:49
Speaker 1: called danger, which led him into a great wood, and
10:52
Speaker 1: the other took directly up the way to destruction, which
10:56
Speaker 1: led him into a wide field full of dark mountains,
10:59
Speaker 1: where he stumbled and fell and rose no more. I
11:04
Speaker 1: looked then after Christian to see him go up the hill,
11:08
Speaker 1: where I perceived he fell from running to going, and
11:11
Speaker 1: from going to clambering upon his hands and his knees.
11:14
Speaker 1: Because of the steepness of the place. Now about midway
11:19
Speaker 1: to the top of the hill was a pleasant arbor
11:22
Speaker 1: made by the Lord of the hill for the refreshment
11:25
Speaker 1: of weary travelers. Thither therefore Christian got, where also he
11:30
Speaker 1: sat down to rest him. Then he pulled his roll
11:34
Speaker 1: out of his bosom and read therein to his comfort.
11:38
Speaker 1: He also now began afresh to take a review of
11:41
Speaker 1: the coat or garment that was given to him as
11:44
Speaker 1: he stood by the cross, thus pleasing himself Awhile he
11:49
Speaker 1: at last fell into a slumber, and thence into a
11:52
Speaker 1: fast sleep, which detained him in that place until it
11:56
Speaker 1: was almost night, And in his sleep his roll fell
11:59
Speaker 1: out of hand. Now, as he was sleeping, there came
12:03
Speaker 1: one to him and awaked him, saying go to the aunt,
12:08
Speaker 1: thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise Proverbs six six.
12:14
Speaker 1: And with that Christian suddenly started up and sped him
12:18
Speaker 1: on his way, and went apace till he came to
12:21
Speaker 1: the top of the hill. Now, when he was got
12:24
Speaker 1: up to the top of the hill, there came two
12:27
Speaker 1: men running a main. The name of the one was Timorous,
12:31
Speaker 1: and of the other Mistrust, to whom Christian said, sirs,
12:35
Speaker 1: what's the matter? You run the wrong way? Timorus answered
12:40
Speaker 1: that they were going to the city of Zion, and
12:43
Speaker 1: had got up that difficult place. But said he, the
12:47
Speaker 1: farther we go, the more danger we meet with. Wherefore
12:50
Speaker 1: we turned and are going back again, Yes, said Mistrust,
12:55
Speaker 1: for just before us lie a couple of lions in
12:58
Speaker 1: the way, whether sleeping or waking, we know not, And
13:01
Speaker 1: we could not think if we came within reach, but
13:05
Speaker 1: they would presently pull us in pieces. Christian then said, Christian,
13:11
Speaker 1: you make me afraid. But whither shall I fly to
13:14
Speaker 1: be safe? If I go back to mine own country
13:18
Speaker 1: that is prepared for fire and brimstone, and I shall
13:22
Speaker 1: certainly perish there. If I can get to the celestial city,
13:26
Speaker 1: I am sure to be in safety there I must venture.
13:31
Speaker 1: To go back is nothing but death. To go forward
13:35
Speaker 1: is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I
13:40
Speaker 1: will yet go forward. So mistrust and timorous ran down
13:45
Speaker 1: the hill, and Christian went on his way, But thinking
13:49
Speaker 1: again of what he had heard from the men, he
13:52
Speaker 1: felt in his bosom for his roll, that he might
13:54
Speaker 1: read therein and be comforted. But he felt and found
13:58
Speaker 1: it not. Then was Christian in great distress and knew
14:02
Speaker 1: not what to do, for he wanted that which used
14:06
Speaker 1: to relieve him, and that which should have been his
14:08
Speaker 1: pass into the celestial city. Here. Therefore he began to
14:13
Speaker 1: be much perplexed, and knew not what to do. At last,
14:17
Speaker 1: he bethought himself that he had slept in the arbor,
14:20
Speaker 1: that is, on the side of the hill, and falling
14:22
Speaker 1: down upon his knees, he asked God forgiveness for that
14:25
Speaker 1: foolish act, and then went back to look for his role.
14:31
Speaker 1: But all the way he went back, who can sufficiently
14:34
Speaker 1: set forth the sorrow of Christian's heart? Sometimes he sighed,
14:39
Speaker 1: sometimes he wept, and oftentimes he chid himself for being
14:42
Speaker 1: so foolish to fall asleep in that place which was
14:46
Speaker 1: erected only for a little refreshment from his weariness. Thus
14:51
Speaker 1: therefore he went back, carefully, looking on this side and
14:54
Speaker 1: on that all the way as he went, if happily
14:57
Speaker 1: he might find his role that had been his comfort
15:00
Speaker 1: so many times in his journey. He went thus till
15:04
Speaker 1: he came again in sight of the arbor where he
15:06
Speaker 1: sat and slept. But that sight renewed his sorrow the
15:10
Speaker 1: more by bringing again even afresh his evil of sleeping
15:14
Speaker 1: unto his mind Revelations two four first the Salonians five
15:21
Speaker 1: six to eight. Thus, therefore he now went on bewailing
15:26
Speaker 1: his sinful sleep, saying, O wretched man, that I am,
15:30
Speaker 1: that I should sleep in the daytime, that I should
15:33
Speaker 1: sleep in the midst of difficulty, that I should so
15:37
Speaker 1: indulge the flesh as to use that rest for ease
15:41
Speaker 1: to my flesh, which the Lord of the hill hath
15:43
Speaker 1: erected only for the relief of the spirits of pilgrims.
15:48
Speaker 1: How many steps have I taken in vain. Thus it
15:52
Speaker 1: happened to Israel for their sin they were sent back
15:55
Speaker 1: again by the way of the Red Sea. And I
15:59
Speaker 1: am made to tread those steps with sorrow which I
16:02
Speaker 1: might have trod with delight. Had it not been for
16:04
Speaker 1: this sinful sleep, how far might I have been on
16:09
Speaker 1: my way? By this time I am made to tread
16:12
Speaker 1: those steps thrice over which I needed not to have trod.
16:15
Speaker 1: But once yea, Now also I am like to be
16:19
Speaker 1: benighted for the days almost spent, Oh that I had
16:24
Speaker 1: not slept. Now by this time he was come to
16:28
Speaker 1: the arbor again. Wherefore while he sat down and wept,
16:33
Speaker 1: But at last, as Providence would have it, looking sorrowfully
16:36
Speaker 1: down under the settle, there he espied his role, the
16:40
Speaker 1: which he was trembling in haste, catched up and put
16:43
Speaker 1: it into his bosom. But who can tell how joyful
16:47
Speaker 1: this man was when he had gotten his role again,
16:51
Speaker 1: For this role was the assurance of his life and
16:54
Speaker 1: acceptance at the desired haven. Therefore he laid it up
16:59
Speaker 1: in his bosom, gave thanks to God for directing his
17:02
Speaker 1: eye to the place where it lay, and with joy
17:05
Speaker 1: and tears, betook himself again to his journey. But oh
17:10
Speaker 1: how nimbly did he go up the rest of the hill.
17:13
Speaker 1: Yet before he got up, the sun went down upon Christian,
17:17
Speaker 1: and this made him again recall the vanity of his
17:19
Speaker 1: sleeping to his remembrance, and thus he again began to
17:23
Speaker 1: condole with himself, O thou sinful sleep, how for thy
17:28
Speaker 1: sake and my light to be benighted in my journey,
17:32
Speaker 1: I must walk without the sun. Darkness must cover the
17:36
Speaker 1: path of my feet, and I must hear the noise
17:38
Speaker 1: of the doleful creatures because of my sinful sleep. Now
17:44
Speaker 1: also he remembered the story that Mistrust and Timorus told
17:47
Speaker 1: him of how they were frightened with the sight of
17:50
Speaker 1: the lions. Then said Christian to himself again, these beasts
17:56
Speaker 1: range in the night for their prey, And if they
17:58
Speaker 1: should meet with me in the dark, how should I
18:01
Speaker 1: shift them? How should I escape being by them torn
18:04
Speaker 1: in pieces? Thus he went on his way. But while
18:08
Speaker 1: he was bewailing his unhappy miscarriage, he lift up his
18:12
Speaker 1: eyes and behold there was a very stately palace before him,
18:16
Speaker 1: the name of which was beautiful, and it stood by
18:19
Speaker 1: the highwayside. So I saw in my dream that he
18:23
Speaker 1: made haste and went forward, that if possible, he might
18:27
Speaker 1: get lodging there. Now, before he had gone far, he
18:31
Speaker 1: entered into a very narrow passage, which was about a
18:35
Speaker 1: furlong off the porter's lodge, and looking very narrowly before him.
18:40
Speaker 1: As he went, he espied two lions in the way.
18:45
Speaker 1: Now thought he I see the dangers that Mistrust and
18:49
Speaker 1: Timorus were driven back by. The lions were chained. But
18:54
Speaker 1: he saw not the chains. Then he was afraid, and
18:58
Speaker 1: thought also himself to go back after them, for he
19:01
Speaker 1: thought nothing but death was before him. But the porter
19:04
Speaker 1: at the lodge, whose name is Watchful, perceiving that Christian
19:08
Speaker 1: made a halt as if he would go back, cried
19:11
Speaker 1: unto him, saying, is thy strength so small? Mark four forty.
19:18
Speaker 1: Fear not the lions, for they are chained and are
19:21
Speaker 1: placed there for a trial of faith where it is,
19:24
Speaker 1: and for discovery of those that have none. Keep in
19:27
Speaker 1: the midst of the path, and no hurt shall come
19:30
Speaker 1: unto thee. Then I saw that he went on trembling
19:36
Speaker 1: for fear of the lions, but taking good heed to
19:39
Speaker 1: the directions of the porter. He heard them roar, but
19:43
Speaker 1: they did him no harm. Then he clapped his hands
19:46
Speaker 1: and went on till he came and stood before the
19:49
Speaker 1: gate where the porter was. Then said Christian to the porter, sir,
19:55
Speaker 1: what house is this? And may a lodge here to night?
20:00
Speaker 1: The porter answered, this house was built by the Lord
20:03
Speaker 1: of the hill, and he built it for the relief
20:06
Speaker 1: and security of pilgrims. The porter also asked whence he
20:11
Speaker 1: was and whither he was going. Christian, I am come
20:16
Speaker 1: from the city of Destruction and am going to Mount Zion.
20:20
Speaker 1: But because the sun is now set, a desire if
20:23
Speaker 1: I may to lodge here tonight? The porter. What is
20:28
Speaker 1: your name, Christian? My name is now Christian, but my
20:35
Speaker 1: name at the first was graceless. I came of the
20:38
Speaker 1: race of Jayfith, whom God will persuade to dwell in
20:42
Speaker 1: the tents of shem Genesis nine twenty seven. The porter,
20:49
Speaker 1: but how does it happen that you come so late
20:51
Speaker 1: the sun is set? Christian? I had been here sooner,
20:57
Speaker 1: but that wretched man that I am, I slept in
21:01
Speaker 1: the arbor that stands on the hillside. Nay, I had
21:05
Speaker 1: notwithstanding that, been here much sooner, but that in my
21:09
Speaker 1: sleep I lost my evidence and came without it to
21:12
Speaker 1: the brow of the hill, And then, feeling for it
21:14
Speaker 1: and not finding it, I was forced with sorrow of
21:17
Speaker 1: heart to go back to the place where I slept
21:20
Speaker 1: my sleep, where I found it. And now I am come,
21:25
Speaker 1: the porter, well, I will call out one of the
21:29
Speaker 1: virgins of this place, who will, if she likes your talk,
21:32
Speaker 1: bring you in to the rest of the family, according
21:35
Speaker 1: to the rules of the house. So watchful, The porter
21:39
Speaker 1: rang a bell, at the sound of which came out
21:41
Speaker 1: of the door of the house a grave and beautiful
21:44
Speaker 1: damsel named Discretion, and asked why she was called. The
21:50
Speaker 1: porter answered, this man is on a journey from the
21:53
Speaker 1: city of Destruction to Mount Zion. But being weary and benighted,
21:58
Speaker 1: he asked me if he might lod tonight. So I
22:01
Speaker 1: told him I would call for thee who, after discourse
22:04
Speaker 1: had with him. Mayors, do as seemeth thee good, even
22:07
Speaker 1: according to the law of the house. Then she asked
22:11
Speaker 1: him whence he was and whither he was going, and
22:14
Speaker 1: he told her. She asked him also how he got
22:18
Speaker 1: into the way, and he told her. Then she asked
22:22
Speaker 1: him what he had seen and met with in the way,
22:25
Speaker 1: and he told her. And at last she asked his name,
22:30
Speaker 1: So he said, it is Christian. And I have so
22:34
Speaker 1: much the more desired to lodge here to night, because
22:37
Speaker 1: by what I perceive, this place was built by the
22:40
Speaker 1: Lord of the hill for the relief and security of pilgrims.
22:46
Speaker 1: So she smiled, but the water stood in her eyes,
22:49
Speaker 1: and after a little pause she said, I will call
22:52
Speaker 1: forth two or three more of the family. So she
22:55
Speaker 1: ran to the door and called out Prudence, Piety, and Charity,
22:59
Speaker 1: who are so a little more discourse with him. Had
23:02
Speaker 1: him into the family, and many of them, meeting him
23:05
Speaker 1: at the threshold of the house, said, come in, thou,
23:08
Speaker 1: blessed of the Lord. This house was built by the
23:11
Speaker 1: Lord of the hill on purpose to entertain such pilgrims in.
23:16
Speaker 1: Then he bowed his head and followed them into the house.
23:20
Speaker 1: So when he was come in and sat down, they
23:23
Speaker 1: gave him something to drink, and consented together that until
23:27
Speaker 1: supper was ready, some of them should have some particular
23:30
Speaker 1: discourse with Christian for the best improvement of time. And
23:34
Speaker 1: they appointed Piety, Prudence, and Charity to discourse with them.
23:39
Speaker 1: And thus they began, Piety, Come good, Christian, since we
23:46
Speaker 1: have been so loving to you as to receive you
23:49
Speaker 1: into our home this night, let us, if perhaps we
23:52
Speaker 1: may better ourselves thereby talk with you of all things
23:56
Speaker 1: that have happened to you in your pilgrimage. Christian, with
24:02
Speaker 1: a very good will, And I am glad that you
24:04
Speaker 1: are so well disposed, Piety. What moved you at first
24:09
Speaker 1: to betake yourself to a pilgrim's life? Christian? I was
24:15
Speaker 1: driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound
24:18
Speaker 1: that was in mine. Ears to wit, that unavoidable destruction
24:22
Speaker 1: did attend me if I abode in that place where
24:24
Speaker 1: I was, Piety. But how did it happen that you
24:30
Speaker 1: came out of your country this way? Christian? It was
24:35
Speaker 1: as God would have it, For when I was under
24:37
Speaker 1: the fears of destruction, I did not know whither to go.
24:41
Speaker 1: But by chance they came a man even to me
24:45
Speaker 1: as I was trembling and weeping, whose name is Evangelist,
24:50
Speaker 1: And he directed me to the wicket gate, which else
24:53
Speaker 1: I should never have found, And so set me into
24:56
Speaker 1: the way that hath led me directly to this house, Piety.
25:01
Speaker 1: But did you not come by the house of the interpreter? Christian? Yes?
25:08
Speaker 1: And did see such things there, the remembrance of which
25:11
Speaker 1: will stick by me as long as I live. Especially
25:15
Speaker 1: three things to wit, how Christ in despite of Satan,
25:20
Speaker 1: maintains his work of grace in the heart. How the
25:24
Speaker 1: man had sent himself quite out of hopes of God's mercy,
25:29
Speaker 1: and also the dream of him that thought in his
25:31
Speaker 1: sleep the day of judgment was come, Piety. Why did
25:37
Speaker 1: you hear him tell his dream? Christian? Yes, and a
25:42
Speaker 1: dreadful one it was. I thought it made my heart
25:45
Speaker 1: ache as he was telling of it. But yet I
25:48
Speaker 1: am glad I heard it, Piety. Was this all you
25:53
Speaker 1: saw at the house of the Interpreter, Christian? No, he
25:59
Speaker 1: took me and had me where. He showed me a
26:02
Speaker 1: stately palace, and how the people were clad in gold
26:05
Speaker 1: that were in it, And how there came a venturous
26:08
Speaker 1: man and cut his way through the armed men that
26:11
Speaker 1: stood in the door to keep him out, and how
26:14
Speaker 1: he was bid to come in and win eternal glory. Methought,
26:18
Speaker 1: those things did ravish my heart. I would have stayed
26:21
Speaker 1: at that good man's house a twelvemonth, but that I knew,
26:24
Speaker 1: I had father to go, Piety. And what saw you
26:30
Speaker 1: else in the way, Christian saw? Why? I went but
26:36
Speaker 1: a little father, And I saw one as I thought
26:39
Speaker 1: in my mind, and bleeding upon a tree, And the
26:44
Speaker 1: very sight of him made my burden fall off my back,
26:47
Speaker 1: for I groaned under a very heavy burden. But then
26:51
Speaker 1: it fell down from off me. It was a strange
26:54
Speaker 1: thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before. Yea.
26:58
Speaker 1: And while I stood looking up, for then I could
27:01
Speaker 1: not forbear looking, three shining ones came to me. One
27:07
Speaker 1: of them testified that my sins were forgiven me. Another
27:10
Speaker 1: stripped me of my rags and gave me this broidered
27:13
Speaker 1: coat which you see, and the thirds at the mark
27:17
Speaker 1: which you see in my forehead, and gave me this
27:20
Speaker 1: sealed roar, And with that he plucked it out of
27:23
Speaker 1: his bosom piety. But you saw more than this, did you, not, Christian?
27:32
Speaker 1: The things I have told you were the best. Yet
27:36
Speaker 1: some other I saw as Namely, I saw three men, simple,
27:40
Speaker 1: sloth and presumption, lie asleep a little out of the
27:43
Speaker 1: way as I came, with irons upon their heels. But
27:47
Speaker 1: do you think I could awake them? I also saw
27:52
Speaker 1: formality and hypocrisy come tumbling over the wall to go
27:55
Speaker 1: as they pretended desion. But they were quickly lost, even
28:00
Speaker 1: as I myself did tell them, but they would not believe.
28:05
Speaker 1: But above all, I found it hard work to get
28:07
Speaker 1: up this hill, and as hard to come by the
28:10
Speaker 1: lion's mouths. And truly, if it had not been for
28:13
Speaker 1: the good man, the porter that stands at the gate,
28:17
Speaker 1: I do not know, but that, after all I might
28:19
Speaker 1: have gone back again. But I thank God I am here,
28:23
Speaker 1: and thank you for receiving me. Then Prudence thought good
28:28
Speaker 1: to ask him a few questions, and desired his answer
28:31
Speaker 1: to them. Prudence, do you not think sometimes of the
28:37
Speaker 1: country from whence you came Christian? Yea, but with much
28:42
Speaker 1: shame and detestation. Truly, if I had been mindful of
28:47
Speaker 1: that country from whence I came out, I might have
28:50
Speaker 1: had opportunity to have returned. But now I desire a
28:53
Speaker 1: better country, that is a heavenly one Hebrews eleven, fifteen
28:59
Speaker 1: and sixteen. Prudence, do you not yet bear a way
29:05
Speaker 1: with you some of the things that then you were
29:07
Speaker 1: conversant with all Christian? Yes, but greatly against my will,
29:14
Speaker 1: especially my inward and kernal cogitations, with which all my countrymen,
29:20
Speaker 1: as well as myself were delighted. But now all those
29:24
Speaker 1: things are my grief, And might I but choose mine
29:27
Speaker 1: own things? I would choose never to think of those
29:30
Speaker 1: things more. But when I would be a doing that
29:33
Speaker 1: which is best, that which is worse is with me.
29:37
Speaker 1: Romans seventh, fifteen and twenty one. Prudence, do you not
29:43
Speaker 1: find sometimes as if those things were vanquished, which at
29:46
Speaker 1: other times are your perplexity? Christian? Yes? But that is
29:52
Speaker 1: but seldom. But they are to me golden hours in
29:55
Speaker 1: which such things happen to me, Prudence. Can you remember
30:01
Speaker 1: by what means you find your annoyances at times as
30:04
Speaker 1: if they were vanquished? Christian? Yes? When I think what
30:10
Speaker 1: I saw at the cross, that will do it. And
30:13
Speaker 1: when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it.
30:17
Speaker 1: And when I look into the role that I carry
30:19
Speaker 1: in my bosom, that will do it. And when my
30:21
Speaker 1: thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will
30:25
Speaker 1: do it. Prudence. And what is it that makes you
30:30
Speaker 1: so desirous to go to Mount Zion Christian? Why? There
30:37
Speaker 1: I hope to see him alive that did hang dead
30:39
Speaker 1: on the cross, And there I hope to be rid
30:42
Speaker 1: of all those things that to this day are in
30:44
Speaker 1: me an annoyance to me. There they say there is
30:48
Speaker 1: no death Isaiah twenty five eight, Revelations twenty one four.
30:54
Speaker 1: And there I shall dul with such company as I
30:57
Speaker 1: like best, for to tell you the truth, I love
31:01
Speaker 1: him because I was by him eased of my burden,
31:04
Speaker 1: and I am weary of my inward sickness. I would
31:08
Speaker 1: fain beware. I shall die no more, and with the
31:11
Speaker 1: company that shall continually cry, Holy, Holy, Holy. Then said
31:19
Speaker 1: Charity to Christian. Have you a family? Are you a
31:23
Speaker 1: married man? Christian? I have a wife and four small children, Charity.
31:33
Speaker 1: And why did you not bring them along with you? Christian?
31:38
Speaker 1: Then Christian wept and said, oh, how willingly would I
31:41
Speaker 1: have done it? But they were all of them utterly
31:44
Speaker 1: averse to my going on pilgrimage. Charity. But you should
31:50
Speaker 1: have talked to them and have endeavored to show them
31:52
Speaker 1: the danger of staying behind Christian. So I did, and
31:58
Speaker 1: told them also what God had shund me of the
32:00
Speaker 1: destruction of our city. But I seemed to them as
32:03
Speaker 1: one that mocked, and they believed me not Genesis nineteen fourteen. Charity.
32:12
Speaker 1: And did you pray to God that he would bless
32:14
Speaker 1: your counsel to them? Christian? Yes? And that with much affection.
32:21
Speaker 1: For you must think that my wife and poor children
32:24
Speaker 1: were very dear to me, Charity. But did you tell
32:30
Speaker 1: them of your own sorrow and fear of destruction? For
32:33
Speaker 1: I suppose that destruction was visible enough to you, Christian. Yes,
32:40
Speaker 1: over and over and over, they might also see my
32:45
Speaker 1: fears in my countenance, in my tears, and also in
32:48
Speaker 1: my trembling under the apprehension of the judgment that did
32:51
Speaker 1: hang over our heads. But all was not sufficient to
32:54
Speaker 1: prevail with them to come with me, Charity. But what
33:00
Speaker 1: could they say for themselves? Why they came not, Christian?
33:05
Speaker 1: Why my wife was afraid of losing this world, and
33:09
Speaker 1: my children were given to the foolish delights of youth.
33:12
Speaker 1: So what by one thing and what by another? They
33:15
Speaker 1: left me to wander in this manner alone? Charity? But
33:21
Speaker 1: did you not, with your vain life, damp all that you,
33:24
Speaker 1: by words use by way of persuasion to bring them
33:27
Speaker 1: away with you? Christian? Indeed, I cannot commend my life,
33:36
Speaker 1: for I am conscious to myself of many failings therein.
33:42
Speaker 1: I know also that a man, by his conversation may
33:45
Speaker 1: soon overthrow what by argument or persuasion he doth labor
33:50
Speaker 1: to fasten upon others for their good. Yet this I
33:53
Speaker 1: can say, I was very wary of giving them occasion
33:57
Speaker 1: by any unseemly action to make them averse to going
34:01
Speaker 1: on pilgrimage. Yea for this very thing, they would tell
34:06
Speaker 1: me I was too precise, and that I denied myself
34:09
Speaker 1: of things for their sakes in which they saw no evil. Nay,
34:14
Speaker 1: I think I may say that if what they saw
34:17
Speaker 1: in me did hinder them, it was my great tenderness
34:20
Speaker 1: in seeing against God, or of doing any wrong to
34:23
Speaker 1: my neighbor charity. Indeed, Kain hated his brother because his
34:31
Speaker 1: own works were evil and his brothers righteous First John
34:36
Speaker 1: three twelve. And if thy wife and children have been
34:40
Speaker 1: offended with THEE for this, they thereby show themselves to
34:43
Speaker 1: be implacable to good. Thou hast delivered thy soul from
34:47
Speaker 1: their blood Ezekiel three nineteen. Now I saw in my
34:53
Speaker 1: dream that thus they sat talking together until supper was ready.
34:58
Speaker 1: So when they had made ready, they sat down to eat.
35:03
Speaker 1: Now the table was furnished with fat things, and with
35:06
Speaker 1: wine that was well refined. And all their talk at
35:10
Speaker 1: the table was about the Lord of the hill, as
35:13
Speaker 1: namely about what he had done, and wherefore he did
35:16
Speaker 1: what he did, and why he had builded that house.
35:19
Speaker 1: And by what they said I perceived that he had
35:22
Speaker 1: been a great warrior, and had fought with and slain
35:26
Speaker 1: him that had the power of death Hebrews two fourteen
35:30
Speaker 1: and fifteen, but not without great danger to himself, which
35:35
Speaker 1: made me love him the more. For as they said,
35:41
Speaker 1: and as I believe said Christian, he did it with
35:44
Speaker 1: the loss of much blood. But that which put the
35:47
Speaker 1: glory of grace into all he did was that he
35:50
Speaker 1: did it out of pure love to his country. And besides,
35:55
Speaker 1: there were some of them of the household that said
35:57
Speaker 1: they had been and spoke with him since he did
35:59
Speaker 1: die on the and they have attested that they had
36:02
Speaker 1: it from his own lips, that he is such a
36:06
Speaker 1: lover of poor pilgrims, that the like is not to
36:09
Speaker 1: be found from the east to the west. They moreover
36:13
Speaker 1: gave an instance of what they affirmed, and that was
36:17
Speaker 1: he had stripped himself of his glory, that he might
36:20
Speaker 1: do this for the poor, and that they heard him
36:22
Speaker 1: sayd affirm that he would not dwell in the mountain
36:25
Speaker 1: of Zion alone. They said, moreover, he had made many
36:30
Speaker 1: pilgrim princes, though by nature they were beggars born, and
36:34
Speaker 1: their original had been the Dunghill first Samuels two eight
36:39
Speaker 1: Psalms one hundred and thirteen seven. Thus they discoursed together
36:45
Speaker 1: till late at night, and after they had committed themselves
36:48
Speaker 1: to their lord for protection, they betook themselves to rest.
36:52
Speaker 1: The pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber whose
36:56
Speaker 1: window opened towards the sun rising. The name of the
36:59
Speaker 1: chain was peace. Where he slept till break of day,
37:03
Speaker 1: and then he awoke and sang, where am I? Now?
37:08
Speaker 1: Is this the love and care of Jesus for the
37:11
Speaker 1: men that pilgrims are? Thus to provide that I should
37:14
Speaker 1: be forgiven and dwell already the next door to heaven.
37:20
Speaker 1: Now I saw in my dream that thus they sat
37:23
Speaker 1: talking together until supper was ready. So when they had
37:27
Speaker 1: made ready, they sat down to eat. Now the table
37:31
Speaker 1: was furnished with fat things, and with wine that was
37:35
Speaker 1: well refined. And all their talk at the table was
37:38
Speaker 1: about the Lord of the hill, as namely about what
37:41
Speaker 1: he had done, and wherefore he did what he did,
37:45
Speaker 1: and why he had builded that house. And by what
37:48
Speaker 1: they said I perceived that he had been a great warrior,
37:52
Speaker 1: and had fought with and slain him that had the
37:54
Speaker 1: power of death Hebrews two fourteen and fifteen, but not
38:00
Speaker 1: without great danger to himself, which made me love him
38:04
Speaker 1: the more for as they said, and as I believe
38:10
Speaker 1: said Christian, he did it with the loss of much blood.
38:14
Speaker 1: But that which put the glory of grace into all
38:16
Speaker 1: he did was that he did it out of pure
38:19
Speaker 1: love to his country. And besides, there were some of
38:23
Speaker 1: them of the household that said they had been and
38:26
Speaker 1: spoke with him since he did die on the cross,
38:28
Speaker 1: and they have attested that they had it from his
38:31
Speaker 1: own lips, that he is such a love of poor pilgrims,
38:36
Speaker 1: that the like is not to be found from the
38:38
Speaker 1: east to the west. They moreover gave an instance of
38:42
Speaker 1: what they affirmed, and that was he had stripped himself
38:46
Speaker 1: of his glory that he might do this for the poor,
38:49
Speaker 1: and that they heard him say it affirm that he
38:52
Speaker 1: would not dwell in the mountain of Zion alone. They said. Moreover,
38:57
Speaker 1: he had made many pilgrim princes, though by nature they
39:00
Speaker 1: were beggars born, and their original had been the Dunghill
39:05
Speaker 1: first Samuels two eight Psalms one hundred and thirteen seven.
39:11
Speaker 1: Thus they discoursed together till late at night, and after
39:15
Speaker 1: they had committed themselves to their lord for protection, they
39:18
Speaker 1: betook themselves to rest the pilgrim. They laid in a
39:22
Speaker 1: large upper chamber whose window opened towards the sun rising.
39:26
Speaker 1: The name of the chamber was Peace. Where he slept
39:29
Speaker 1: till break of day, and then he awoke and sang,
39:34
Speaker 1: where am I now? Is this the love and care
39:37
Speaker 1: of Jesus for the men? That pilgrims are thus to
39:41
Speaker 1: provide that I should be forgiven and dwell already the
39:45
Speaker 1: next door to heaven. So in the morning they all
39:49
Speaker 1: got up, and after some more discourse, they told him
39:53
Speaker 1: that he should not depart till they had shown him
39:56
Speaker 1: the rarities of that place. At first they had him
40:00
Speaker 1: into the study, where they showed him records of the
40:03
Speaker 1: greatest antiquity, in which, as I remember my dream, they
40:08
Speaker 1: showed him the pedigree of the Lord of the hill,
40:12
Speaker 1: that he was the son of the Ancient of days
40:15
Speaker 1: and came by eternal generation. Here also was more fully
40:20
Speaker 1: recorded the acts that he had done, and the names
40:23
Speaker 1: of many hundreds that he had taken into his service,
40:26
Speaker 1: and how he had placed them in such habitations that
40:29
Speaker 1: could neither by length of days nor decays of nature
40:32
Speaker 1: be dissolved. Then they read to him some of the
40:37
Speaker 1: worthy acts that some of his servants had done, as
40:40
Speaker 1: how they had subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped
40:45
Speaker 1: the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped
40:49
Speaker 1: the edge of the sword. Out of weakness, were made strong, waxed,
40:54
Speaker 1: valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of
40:57
Speaker 1: the Aliens Hebrews eleven, thirty three and thirty four. Then
41:03
Speaker 1: they read again another part of the records of the House,
41:06
Speaker 1: where it was shown how willing their lord was to
41:09
Speaker 1: receive into his favor any, even any though they in
41:13
Speaker 1: time past had offered great affronts to his person and proceedings.
41:18
Speaker 1: Here also were several other histories of many other famous things,
41:22
Speaker 1: of all which Christian had a view as of things
41:25
Speaker 1: both ancient and modern, together with prophecies and predictions of
41:29
Speaker 1: things that have their certain accomplishment, both to the dread
41:33
Speaker 1: and amazement of enemies and the comfort and solace of pilgrims.
41:39
Speaker 1: The next day they took him and had him into
41:41
Speaker 1: the armory, where they showed him all manner of furniture
41:44
Speaker 1: which their Lord had provided for pilgrims, as sword, shield, helmet,
41:49
Speaker 1: breastplate or prayer, and shoes that would not wear out,
41:54
Speaker 1: and there was here enough of this to harness out
41:57
Speaker 1: as many men for the service of their lord as
41:59
Speaker 1: they there be stars in the heaven for multitude. They
42:05
Speaker 1: also showed him some of the engines with which some
42:07
Speaker 1: of his servants had done wonderful things. They showed him
42:11
Speaker 1: moses Rod, the hammer and nail with which jails slew Sicera,
42:16
Speaker 1: the pictures, the trumpets and lamps too, with which Gideon
42:20
Speaker 1: put to flight the armies of Midian. Then they showed
42:25
Speaker 1: him the ox Gourde, where with Shamgar slew six hundred men.
42:29
Speaker 1: They showed him also the jawbone with which Samson did
42:32
Speaker 1: such mighty feats. They showed him moreover the sling and
42:37
Speaker 1: stone which David's lugliath of Gath, and the sword also
42:42
Speaker 1: with which their Lord will kill the man of sin
42:45
Speaker 1: in the day that he shall rise up to the prey.
42:48
Speaker 1: They showed him, besides many excellent things with which Christian
42:52
Speaker 1: was much delighted. This done, they went to their rest again.
42:58
Speaker 1: Then I saw in my dream that on the to
43:00
Speaker 1: morrow he got up to go forward, but they desired
43:04
Speaker 1: him to stay till the next day also, and then
43:07
Speaker 1: said they we will if the day be clear show
43:10
Speaker 1: you the delectable mountains, which they said would yet farther
43:14
Speaker 1: add to his comfort, because they were nearer the desired
43:17
Speaker 1: haven than the place where at present he was. So
43:21
Speaker 1: he consented and stayed. When the morning was up, they
43:24
Speaker 1: had him to the top of the house and bid
43:26
Speaker 1: him look south. So he did, and behold, at a
43:30
Speaker 1: great distance he saw a most pleasant mountainous country, beautified
43:34
Speaker 1: with woods, vineyards, fruits of all sorts, flowers, also with
43:39
Speaker 1: springs and fountains, very delectable to behold, Isaiah thirty three,
43:44
Speaker 1: sixteen and seventeen. Then he asked the name of the country.
43:50
Speaker 1: They said, it was Immanuel's land. And it is as common,
43:54
Speaker 1: said they, as this hill is two and four all
43:58
Speaker 1: the pilgrims. And when thou comest there, from thence thou
44:01
Speaker 1: mayest see to the gate of the celestial city, as
44:04
Speaker 1: the shepherds that live there will make a peer. Now
44:09
Speaker 1: he bethought himself of setting forward, and they were willing
44:13
Speaker 1: he should, but first said they let us go again
44:16
Speaker 1: into the armory. So they did, and when he came there,
44:20
Speaker 1: they harnessed him from head to foot with what was
44:23
Speaker 1: of proof, lest perhaps he should meet with assaults in
44:26
Speaker 1: the way. He, being therefore thus accouched, walked out with
44:31
Speaker 1: his friends to the gate, and there he asked the
44:34
Speaker 1: porter if he saw any pilgrims pass by. Then the
44:38
Speaker 1: porter answered yes, Christian. Pray, do you know him? Said
44:44
Speaker 1: he the porter. I asked his name. He told me
44:48
Speaker 1: it was faithful Christian. Oh, said Christian, I know him.
44:54
Speaker 1: He is my townsman, my near neighbor. He comes from
44:58
Speaker 1: the place where I was born. How far do you
45:00
Speaker 1: think he may be before the porter? He has got
45:04
Speaker 1: by this time below the hill, Christian, Well said Christian,
45:10
Speaker 1: good Porter. The Lord be with thee, and add to
45:13
Speaker 1: all thy plain blessings much increase for the kindness that
45:16
Speaker 1: thou hast showed me. End Part one, the third stage.